The Gin Bothy
Brechin Rd, Kirriemuir
Angus
History - Three years ago Kim Cameron starting making gin “by accident” in a small bothy on the grounds Peel Farm which she owns. Herself and a small team started making batches of around 1,000 bottles a month by hand, by infusing seasonal produce from local berry fields and farms. Over those three years she has seen the brand grow from strength to strength making her “acci-dent” a fully fledged business. Last year saw them move from their tiny old smiddy to a new prem-ises at the nearby Garlowbank Smiddy, a former blacksmiths and forgemasters, which allowed the production to triple. However with demand growing it looks like they are on the move again.
The Gin – Kim doesn’t mess about; it seems that once she puts her mind to something she is all in. At the Bothy you will find a range including: Bothy Original Gin, Mulled Infused Gin, Stirrup Cup, Speycast, and a range of liqueurs including Blueberry, Raspberry, Amaretto, Chilli, Rhubarb, Sloe, Strawberry and Gingerbread. The main players here are the gins which are made in 200-litre tradi-tional copper still, such as their robust Gunshot Gin: aimed solely at men who think they don't like gin. Not meant to be mixed with tonic, this botanical infusion is best with ginger ale instead.
Favourite Gin - For me it has to be The Gin Bothy Original, which uses some local botanicals in its recipe. Juniper, orange and lemon flavours with heather, milk thistle, hawthorn, marshmallow, rosemary and Scottish pine needles combine perfectly to create a gin which makes a refreshing Gin and Tonic, served with they suggested slice of orange for a perfect serve.
Why Visit? – The Gin Bothy Tasting room and Bothy Larder shop is open by appointment on most days between 11am and 4pm. Up to 16 people can be taken through the Bothy’s story and sample the award winning range of gins and seasonally produced liqueurs, usually led by the owner her-self. This summer they released exciting plans for the Bothy, which will see a £500,000 investment in a brand new premises on the grounds on the historic former site of the Angus Folk Museum, situated within Glamis Castle and dating back to 1793. This has lain empty since the National Trust for Scotland closed the doors at the end of the 2014 tourist season. The plans to complete this new 4-star visitor experience in Angus all hopefully be complete by the end of 2019.
Interesting fact – Founder of The Gin Bothy Kim Cameron found inspiration in creating her own Gin in a slightly unusual fashion. Kim is a former World Jampionship Jampion; this incredible title means she is a elite jam maker after winning several awards. The Gin comes in after she found herself with lots of left over ingredients after making her award-winning jam. She did some research and decided to start experimenting with gin, which itself is now award-winning.
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